MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY QUALIFYING EXAM (STPM)
How do you explain the fact that 87% of the students passed the examinations of the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) recently when during your grandfather's time only 10% would have passed !?
Are students getting smarter ? Or are STPM questions getting easier ?
Let me put things in their proper perspective.During your grandfather's time, they would ask exam questions like: In what year was the kingdom of Melaka founded by Parameswara?
The correct answer is "1402", and they found that only 10% of the students managed to answer the question correctly. This didn't go down too well with the authorities, because the objective of the exams was to pass people. I mean, what's the point of having exams if people fail ? So later, they found another way to ask the same question:
Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year:
(a) 2001
(b) 2004
(c) 1986
(d) 1975
(e) 1402
Tick the correct answer. The results were better in that 20% of the students passed. But it was still not good enough, so the authorities tried a different tactic a few years later.
Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402 - True or false ?
Well, half of the students guessed "True" and the other half guessed "False". Fully 50% passed. The results were getting pretty acceptable by now. Most other countries would be satisfied with a 50% passing rate, but not us. We are a better country, because we are a boleh country. The authorities then cracked their heads and then came out with this one:
Read the following sentence carefully:
"Parameswara, the cousin of Proton-Iswara, founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402." Underline the name of the person who founded Melaka.
60% underlined "Parameswara", 30% underlined "Proton-Iswara" and 10% underlined "1402". Hooiyoh... 60% managed to pass! So krever! But for some reason, the authorities were still not contented. So last year, they came out with this gem:
One day in the year 1402, Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka. Then he went home to have dinner. What did he eat?
13% handed in blank answers, 57% wrote "Maggi Mee" (instant noodles), and 10% wrote "Kentucky Fried Chicken", and 20% wrote "Tree bark". The official answer was "Food" of course! After the marking was over, it was found that 87% of the students had passed. 87%... now that's pretty impressive! So it's true.
The students are indeed getting smarter.
Are students getting smarter ? Or are STPM questions getting easier ?
Let me put things in their proper perspective.During your grandfather's time, they would ask exam questions like: In what year was the kingdom of Melaka founded by Parameswara?
The correct answer is "1402", and they found that only 10% of the students managed to answer the question correctly. This didn't go down too well with the authorities, because the objective of the exams was to pass people. I mean, what's the point of having exams if people fail ? So later, they found another way to ask the same question:
Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year:
(a) 2001
(b) 2004
(c) 1986
(d) 1975
(e) 1402
Tick the correct answer. The results were better in that 20% of the students passed. But it was still not good enough, so the authorities tried a different tactic a few years later.
Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402 - True or false ?
Well, half of the students guessed "True" and the other half guessed "False". Fully 50% passed. The results were getting pretty acceptable by now. Most other countries would be satisfied with a 50% passing rate, but not us. We are a better country, because we are a boleh country. The authorities then cracked their heads and then came out with this one:
Read the following sentence carefully:
"Parameswara, the cousin of Proton-Iswara, founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402." Underline the name of the person who founded Melaka.
60% underlined "Parameswara", 30% underlined "Proton-Iswara" and 10% underlined "1402". Hooiyoh... 60% managed to pass! So krever! But for some reason, the authorities were still not contented. So last year, they came out with this gem:
One day in the year 1402, Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka. Then he went home to have dinner. What did he eat?
13% handed in blank answers, 57% wrote "Maggi Mee" (instant noodles), and 10% wrote "Kentucky Fried Chicken", and 20% wrote "Tree bark". The official answer was "Food" of course! After the marking was over, it was found that 87% of the students had passed. 87%... now that's pretty impressive! So it's true.
The students are indeed getting smarter.
posted by cchungww at 8:00 PM
1 Comments:
walaueh....you damn good la... i like your style.. keep on... hehee... i am the one who ALWAYS argue with you...hehe
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